POLITICAL STRATEGY
PRIOR TO OUTBREAK OF WAR

PART IV

PREPARED BY
MILITARY HISTORY SECTION
HEADQUARTERS, ARMY FORCES FAR EAST

DISTRIBUTED BY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF MILITARY HISTORY
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

This Monograph may not be reproduced without the permission
of the Chief of Military History.

Distributed by:

Department of the Army
Office of the Chief of Military History
Washington 25 D.C.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword/Preface
Page No.
Shift of Emphasis in National Policy from PoliticalTo Military Strategy 1
Japan's National Defense Policy 1
Strengthening of Strategic Measures
(First half of 1941) 4
Military Strategy Against China 4
Advocacy of the Malaya Invasion 6
Operational Policy Against the United States,
Great Britain and the Netherlands East Indies 8
Study of Naval Operations Plan against the
United States, Great Britain and the
Netherlands East Indies 12
Transition of National Policy from Political
Strategy to Military Strategy 13
Supreme Command's Proposal to the Government in
Regard to the Transition from Peace to War
(24 September 1941) 15
Acceleration of Navy's War Preparations 18
Preparations in Anticipation of Outbreak of War 20
Imperial Conference on 5 November 1941 to Form
National Policy in Anticipation of War 24
Discussion on Proposals made at Imperial
Conference of 5 November 28
Decision to go to War 33
Imperial Conference - 1 December 1941 34
Political Measures, Internal and External, Taken
Following the Decision to Open Hostilities 41

vii

Note to be sent to the United States and
Time at which it was to be Delivered 42
Principles for Future Guidance of War 44
Principles for Administration of Southern
Occupied Areas 49
Measures to be Taken Against Foreign
Countries in the Event of War 52
Outline of measures to be taken toward
Thailand, decided at the Liaison Conference
of 23 November 1941 57
Measures to be taken by Manchukuo to cope with
the sudden change in the international situation,
decided at the Liaison Conference of 4 December,
1941 60
Treatment of the Netherlands, decided at the
Liaison Conference of 4 December, 1941 61
Measures to be taken by China to cope with the
sudden change in the international situation,
decided at the Liaison Conference of 6
December, 1941 62
Measures toward the Soviet Union to be
negotiated with Germany, decided at the
Liaison Conference of 6 December, 1941 62
Imperial Rescript on Declaration of War 63
Commencement of Hostilities and Measures Taken
Immediately Thereafter 65

APPENDICES

Appendix No 1 Resources Necessary to be Mobilized for the
Execution of War (Cabinet Planning Board.
29 July 1941) 71
Appendix No 2 Conclusions Reached After Study of "The Outline
for the Execution of the Empire's National Policy,"
at the Liaison Conference from 23 to 30 October
1941 76

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Appendix No 3 Testimony by Prime Minister Tojo before the
International Military Tribunal for the
Far East
Relating to Japan's Decision to go to War 92
Appendix No 4 Testimony by Prime Minister Tojo before the
International Military Tribunal for the Far
East
Senior Statesman's Conference held in the
Presence of the Emperor on 29 November 1941 96
Appendix No 5 Memorandum Handed to the United States
Government in Washington on 7 December 1941 103
Appendix No 6 Statement by Ambassador Nomura Regarding
the Handing of the Ultimatum to the United
States 114
Appendix No 7 Imperial Rescript on the Declaration of War 116
Appendix No 8 Testimony by Prime Minister Tojo before the
International Military Tribunal for the Far
East Relating to the Imperial Rescript on
the Declaration of War 119